Interpreting hybrid events

Hybrid events are here to stay, with attendees joining either in-person or online, all of them able to participate and contribute on an equal footing. Multilingual hybrid events are open to an even wider audience – who don’t have to travel to the venue. Yet these hybrid forms combining virtual and face-to-face participation present certain technical and logistical challenges, especially when the participants require live translation into several languages, which has to be provided by simultaneous interpreters.

Clarity concerning locations

Where are the interpreters at hybrid events?

The key questions in the technical planning of hybrid events are – quite apart from the translation requirements – “Who sits where, and with whom? Who will be presenting/speaking, and where from?” This enables us to develop a clear idea of how the communication will work and what kind of hybrid equipment will be needed for the various end users.

The question “Who is going to speak (in which language) from where and hear the interpreters?” determines the best position for the interpreting teams. In general, they should be placed where the most content is produced.